The Role of BESS in Hybrid Generator Systems

Date: 24/11/25

Recently, we discussed how a Battery Energy Storage System can help cut fuel costs for your existing diesel, solar or hybrid generator system. However, BESS also offer much more than just fuel savings. By placing a BESS solution at the heart of your generator set up, you can take energy management to the next level,  maximising the benefits of renewable energy while maintaining a dependable power supply whenever and wherever you need it.

For example, with the smart technology of a BESS solution from Think Hire, you can add solar energy to the grid/diesel mix, to create a hybrid system that works harder and smarter, delivering the power you need, but with lower emissions and lower costs.

Solar hybrid generator systems are not a new idea, but the growing climate emergency, together with rising fuel costs for construction companies, makes them more important than ever before. 

Why do you need a BESS for your hybrid generator?

Renewable energy is a great option when the sun is shining on your solar panels. It’s clean, it’s free, and it operates silently on your site. However, even the most efficient solar powered generator will only work during daylight hours, and power will inevitably drop on dull days and during winter months with limited daylight hours.

With a BESS, you can not only store excess power generated through the daylight hours, but you can also optimise your energy use to significantly reduce traditional generator use or grid dependence too, cutting running costs significantly.

How do BESS Optimise Local Energy Performance?

BESS systems help to optimise local energy performance in a number of ways:

• Peak shaving – managing your energy use on site to smooth out short-term spikes in demand and reduce the need for back-up generator use.

• Load shifting – helping your site to move demand from one time to another to maximise the benefits of solar power from your hybrid generator.

• Energy storage – ensuring none of the ‘free energy’ from your solar powered generator goes to waste by efficiently and effectively storing any excess that is not required at the time. 

What Are the Benefits of BESS Hybrid Generator Systems?

Making better use of renewable energy from the sun, and running your diesel generators or drawing from the grid far less, has obvious cost advantages. But that’s just the start; BESS solutions also deliver a number of other benefits for your site:

• Always on energy – solar power is not always available, but by storing the energy you generate, you can have a constant supply of power while keeping your energy predominantly clean and green.

• Resilient supply – using a hybrid generator to supply your site protects you from outages, surges and other issues with the National Grid. This avoids downtime and delays that can have serious financial implications for your project.

• Regulatory compliance – as well as cutting fuel costs, a BESS hybrid generator also cuts emissions, such as CO2 and NOx, and limits noise pollution. Both of these benefits help keep your construction site compliant in an increasingly strict regulatory environment.

• Enhanced flexibility – using a BESS solution to create a hybrid generator system, offers complete flexibility to adapt to changing energy demands, or even changing locations, as your project develops. 

Where can you use a hybrid generator with BESS? 

At Think Hire, our BESS solutions are designed to be fully portable for rapid deployment and relocation. This means you can use them almost anywhere, for almost anything. Such systems are ideal for rapidly changing projects, temporary works like road and rail repairs, one off events and off-grid locations where other power sources are simply not available.

The Think Hire range of BESS includes features such as forklift pockets and lifting eyes for ease of movement, as well as IP-rated weather protection for even the harshest environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about BESS and Hybrid Generator Systems

Q. How does a BESS save fuel when used with a generator?

A: BESS solutions optimise energy use to reduce the run time of diesel generators, especially in hybrid systems that also include solar power. Their advanced storage capacity means you can use more ‘free’ solar energy and less costly diesel fuel.

Q. Can a BESS power our site cabins and security overnight?

A: Yes. One of the biggest advantages of adding a BESS to create a hybrid generator system is the ability to access renewable energy 24/7, even when the solar panels are not working. 

Q. Can I run my hybrid generator without a BESS?

A: Yes you can, but you will miss out on many of the benefits associated with renewable energy. A BESS is essential to store excess energy and optimise energy use, to deliver maximum savings for your site.

Q. My hybrid generator has a built-in battery. Do I still need a BESS?

A: Built-in batteries deliver some of the benefits of a BESS; however, they may lack the portability and the complete energy management of a separate BESS unit.

Power Your Next Project More Efficiently with Think Hire

To discuss the benefits of BESS in creating hybrid generator systems, and to find out how they can save your site in running costs and emissions, talk to the experts at Think Hire today. Our team have unrivalled experience in getting the BESS-t out of renewable energy.

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